By Jennifer Thompson
EAV’s Glenwood Neighborhood Pub has a tradition. To celebrate its anniversary of another year of being in business, the eatery holds a raffle to raise money for a local charity. This year’s fundraiser was a success by any standard, raising $2,228.00 by selling $2 raffle tickets to benefit The GA Firefighters Burn Foundation (GFBF). It’s a great cause and a great result, but this fundraiser and this anniversary are extra meaningful.
After all, the past year was hardly business as usual. The Glenwood literally closed its doors. When it reopened months later, original owner Dan Simpson had three new partners: active firefighters Mark Sherman and Kyle Bosdell, and former firefighter Ben Miller; a neighborhood pub-type menu with expanded appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers; and over 100 beers and an excellent wine list. Equally as important to the group as the food, drink, and service offered within the pub’s doors is the opportunity to give back to the community. Their first benefit was the 9/11 memorial last year.
So when the time came to select the charity for the anniversary fundraising, they immediately thought of an organization near and dear to them. Retired firefighter Don Williams and current Outreach Liaison for the GFBF was at the check giving ceremony August 3 at the Glenwood. He spoke about the foundation.
The GFBF was started in 1982 by a group of south DeKalb firefighters to support Grady’s Burn Center. Firefighters from around the city joined in, then brothers from outside the city, until finally in 1990 the nonprofit became the statewide organization it is today. GFBF still supports both the Grady Burn Center (the fourth largest burn center in the world) and the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, the largest private burn center in the world. “Georgia has two burn centers and it’s lucky,” Williams says. “Many states don’t have any.”
GFBF burn center support includes assisting with annual grant requests; working closely with the American Burn Association and the GA EMS Association; and providing scholarships to initial responders and emergency personnel in outlying areas to attend advanced burn life support classes.
The foundation’s other mission is to help burn survivors in their recovery. Burn victims have not only the obvious physical injuries but emotional issues as well. This is especially true with children. Williams explains, “The child grows but the scar doesn’t and they have to have additional surgeries to accommodate the different rates of growth. A child burn victim can sustain up to 50-100 surgeries through their lifetime. School breaks and holidays are spent getting surgeries. Being a burn survivor is a life long recovery and, not being a burn victim myself, I don’t know that you ever truly recover.”
To combat this, GFBF formed Camp Oo-U-La, which is Cherokee for “cool running water” and what you put on a burn victim. In its 20th year, this week-long camp for burned and disfigured children is so effective many previous campers return every year from all over the country. “An average of 95 to 100 kids attends each year. They either live or were treated in Georgia. It’s an opportunity for kids to interact with other children with burns, many who have never seen another burn survivor. Often after they leave the burn center, which is a closed environment, the parents try to protect them by shutting them in the house. Then they go to school, get teased, and emotional issues develop. Through the camp they are able to meet other burn survivors who are like them, those that have gone on to have normal lives, gotten married, etc. and the kids are able to connect with these survivors. Often they are robbed of their childhood because of the burn and the camp allows them to focus on being a child.”
Young adults aged 18 through 25 have a retreat where they can discuss careers, education, relationships, and dealing with burn injuries. GFBF also works to promote fire and burn prevention and creating educational materials.
All of these initiatives cost money and there is year-round fundraising, including drives, events, and corporate support, such as the Glenwood’s donation of $2,228.
The Glenwood’s third benefit is aimed at the heart of the local Fire Station and EAV community. Sherman presents a flyer for a fundraiser being held Saturday August 25 at 7:00pm to help Captain Greg Wise from EAV’s own Fire Station 13. The father of two has fallen ill and is in need of funds for both medical and living costs. There will be drink specials, food, and music. A hat will be passed so patrons can give. The Glenwood will make a donation based on sales for that day. Kyle Bosdell expects the evening to be comparable to the 9/11 memorial, with fire trucks out front and many stations coming together to support one of their own. Like the GFBF fundraising, publicity is through social media, web pages, flyers, and word of mouth.
Firefighters are a band of brothers united in service that choose to put their lives and careers on the line for their communities. Dan Simpson has been committed to the Glenwood and the East Atlanta Village since he first laid plans to open the pub. It appears that Simpson has found partners that match his drive for neighborhood success, to serve, and to give back to those in need. So far the partnership has brought about great things.
To find out more about the efforts to help Captain Greg Wise or give to the fund directly, contact Joe Shoemaker at 678-763-8559, Chris Chaffin at 678-300-7359, or Station 13 at 404-546-4413.
To learn more about the GFBF, visit their web site at www.gfbf.org or find them on Facebook.
The Glenwood offers $3 well drinks Monday through Thursday, open mic night/jam sessions on Sundays anchored by East Atlanta’s own band The Hollidays, team trivia on Wednesdays, and laid-back guitar jazz of AC with accompanying percussion on Thursdays. For more information, go to www.glenwoodatlanta.com, follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/theglenwoodatl, or on Twitter at twitter.com/theglenwoodatl.
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